Laser diode arrays have traditionally been used to supply power in applications such as pumping another laser. More recently, laser diode arrays have been utilized in optical print heads. U.S. Pat. No. 4,897,671, for example, describes that attachment of a waveguide to a laser diode array in a print head. The function of the waveguide is to provide a predetermined output spacing from the output end of the channel waveguides.
It is desirable to construct an optical print head utilizing a laser source, such as a laser diode array, that incorporates optical elements to transmit and focus the light emitted from the array onto a print surface. The alignment of the optical elements in such a print head is extremely critical, on the order of tenths of a micron, and can be easily altered by small dimensional variations caused by the thermal expansion or contraction of various components or shrinkage in adhesives used to bond the components. It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an optical print head, incorporating a laser source and associated optical components, that is not susceptible to misalignment due to thermal expansion of components or shrinkage in bonding adhesives.